Journalism in the Fashion Industry

Hi Malia,

I would recommend to any high school student seeking a career in journalism that they get involved with the school newspaper. It’s a great way to learn while participating in a school activity.

I’ve had a long career as a journalist and can tell you that school basics that some people take for granted have been very important in getting me to where I am today. I’m talking about spelling, grammar, history, math, and even doing good research. Never underestimate their worth and value!

How are you in writing? Do you get writing assignments, where you have to do research and cite resources (with footnotes) or interview people to gather information? All of these are also skills that, when mastered, will serve you well as a journalist. Basics like subject-verb agreement and spelling are key skills for both journalists and copy editors.

One other thing I would recommend is sitting down with your school counselor. Perhaps they can help arrange a visit to a local newspaper, or that one of the local journalists visits your school (or class, or maybe even the team working on the school newspaper).

Finally, study hard and get good grades! Your work and grades in high school will have some impact on which colleges will be interested in having you as a student. If you work hard, it might even lead to a scholarship of some sort.

Aside ftom all of that, if you can find a summer job in the fashion industry, even at a clothing store - or eventuslly an internship with someone who covers fashion so you can see firsthand what they do in their job - it would be great.

Some colleges also offer courses in fashion design and, if they offer journalism too, you could possibly minor in fashion design — providing you that extra insight on the industry that will make your journalism that much better.

I hope this is helpful.

I always recommend students to begin from writing down / jotting down their thoughts in a document or on paper on anything. It could be a review of a volunteer activity you did, a movie critique, daily advices and routine tips for people and so on. From here, start moving forward as making your blog and posting these thoughts. It is always good to have experience and this way, you are building an experience you can write down on your resume.